Parmesan Meatballs

I thought the photos of the meatballs did not look super appetizing. But, meatballs are really big in my house and always have been. They are really easy to make, re-heat well and are very versatile. And, you can make them from beef, turkey, chicken, buffalo or pork. A good meatball recipe can be a secret weapon in many dishes. Today, I am sharing one of mine with you.

We have been eating significantly less meat in the house. But, today I thawed a pound of grass fed free-range beef from our local rancher. The leftovers are already in the fridge waiting to inspire lunch tomorrow. When I re-heat them, I put them in a vegetable steamer basket and steam them. When kids are here running around, I heat them up for a high protein snack. I add them (out of the freezer) when I am making soup in the winter. Meatballs are also an easy food for a babysitter to heat up that does not require much effort. For the right people, meat can be very grounding.

These meatballs took 15 minutes to prepare, and 15 minutes to cook. We also had green beans tossed in olive oil, corn on the cob (thank you CSA) and baked potatoes. To make things really quick, I blanched the green beans in boiling water, then used the same hot water to cook the corn. For dessert we had the very best all purpose chocolate cake ever. A recipe I have been using for 6 years. My absolute go-to recipe for chocolate cake. Tomorrow, I will post that recipe.

Parmesan Meatballs

1 pound grass fed beef
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove very finely chopped
zest of one lemon
pinch salt
1 egg
1 heaping tsp. fresh thyme (no need to chop this)
2 tbls canola oil

Mix everything together. Try not to over mix. Form into balls. (these can be made ahead of time and stored on a cookie sheet in the fridge if needed)

Heat canola oil in a skillet. I use a cast iron skillet because it is so seasoned it acts like a nonstick skillet. If you have a non-stick skillet, use only 1 tbls of the oil.
Cook for 15 minutes. I usually cover the pan for the first 5 minutes then take off the lid to reduce the juices. Serve immediately.